Call me crazy, but grocery shopping is one of my favorite things to do! I love discovering all the new products, scanning labels to search for the best ingredients, & finding beautiful produce to create fun recipes with! And I of course love sharing those products & recipes with you!

Having access to so many amazing products & grocery stores nowadays is such a blessing, but I understand it can be extremely overwhelming. What products are actually healthy? What store has the best produce? Where can I save some money & where should I spend a little more? This can all be dizzying & difficult to navigate, but I am here to help!

I am taking you along to not one, but THREE of my favorite stores to shop! Trader Joe’s, Sprout’s, & Whole Foods. Not only will I be showing you what is in my cart & why… but I’ll also be sharing tips on saving money while stocking your house with nutrient-dense foods & products, as well as sharing printable guides to each store. Now let’s get shopping!

When it comes to my guidelines for shopping, the most important thing to me is buying organic whenever possible. I always aim for organic, pasture raised, grass-fed meats & animal products. When it comes to produce I follow the “dirty dozen” rule.

Though they don’t have everything, Trader Joe’s is SO great for inexpensive organic items! I try to buy most of my produce from TJ’s, but if they happen to not have an item or I need a specialty item I’ll go to Sprout’s or Whole Foods for those.

Trader Joe’s Grocery Guide

Lets talk TJ’s! Trader Joe’s is great for inexpensive items ranging from organic produce, some organic meats, to fun products like their cauliflower gnocchi. When I’m shopping, I start at TJ’s - aiming to get as much off my list as I can from there because I know it’ll most likely be the least expensive. What isn’t available at TJ’s I’ll search for at Sprouts.

Organic vegetable, chicken or beef stock - Quailty ingredients for a low price. Perfect for soup bases & using to cook your grains in for extra flavor! Always buy organic if you can & read the label to watch for no junk oils like canola + no added sugar.

Everything But The Bagel Seasoning - Because it’s only $1.99 & who doesn’t like the seasoning of an everything bagel?!

Organic brown rice cakes - We always have these in our pantry. The perfect snack with nut butter, avocado, or organic deli meats!

Organic tortilla chips - I buy the stone-ground blue corn chips with sprouted amaranth, quinoa & chia seeds. They do have sunflower seed oil, which isn’t the greatest. But they aren’t something we eat on the reg! When buying chips you want to stay far away from canola oil. It’s best to look for chips cooked in avocado oil, coconut oil or olive oil.

Just Beets Chips - such an addicting snack!

BAKING ESSENTIALS

Almond flour - I buy TJ’s almond flour if I’m looking to save some money. I use almond flour in a lot of my baked goods.

Kale vegan pesto - Not something I buy all the time, but a great buy for a quick simple add to any pasta dish, pizza, or to dip veggies in!

Jalapeño almond dip - Also not something I buy all the time, but love this vegan dip for snack boards! Great with any crackers or veggies!

Sprout’s Grocery Guide

Onto Sprout’s! I love shopping here because I feel like it’s the middle ground between TJ’s & Whole Foods. They carry a lot more specialty items than Trader Joes & have a lot more affordable prices than Whole Foods. When I’m heading to Sprout’s it’s usually for whatever organic produce or meats I couldn’t find at TJ’s, a specialty item like vegan cream cheese, or our favorite organic popcorn for $1.99!

Limes - TJ’s doesn’t carry organic limes most the time so I get them from Sprout’s.

Kale, chard, collards

Asparagus

Boy choy

Bell peppers

Green onions

Roma tomatoes

Beets

Ginger

Tumeric

MEAT / POULTRY

Organic turkey bacon - Not something I buy all the time but if I get it I buy from Sprouts. TJ’s doesn’t have organic & WF is more expensive.

Organic chicken sausage - I’ll buy these to keep in the freezer to add to quick meals.

FROZEN ITEMS

Bone broth - I like to keep a bag of this in the freezer for soups, or sipping. Great for gut health! I usually buy Bonafide Provisions in the freezer section of Sprouts because their prices! Usually on sale for $6.99 a bag.

Grain-free granola - I’m in love with my grain-free granola! I add it to smoothies, toast, oatmeal, or eat it straight from the bag. Lark Ellen Farm is my favorite because they use sprouted nuts & seeds.

Cereal - When I have a cereal craving I search for products with little to no added sugars. Erewhon Organics is my favorite cereal brand. They have little to no added sugars. I love their corn flakes & brown rice puffs!

Almond flour crackers - I don’t buy these all the times, but when I’m craving crackers the Simple Mills crackers are my favorite. They’re gluten-free & grain-free + Sprouts always has a sale on them!

Popcorn - We go through popcorn like crazy & Sprouts brand is the best! I buy the organic himalayan popcorn that’s popped in coconut oil. Only $1.99!

Canned diced tomatoes - Great to have on hand to add to sauces, soups or casseroles.

Bulk nuts & seeds - I stock up on my organic nuts & seeds in the bulk section. Tip: store your nuts & seeds in jars in the freezer to keep them from going rancid!

Sunflower seed butter - I am obsessed with sunflower seed butter, it’s great on everything! Look for a brand that has no added oils or sugars.

Almond butter & cashew butter - Great prices at Sprouts. Again, you want to look for a brand with no added oils or sugars.

GF bread - I love toast! I usually buy my GF vegan bread from Sprouts. I like Little Northern Bakehouse bread & you can find it in the fridge section.

Greens powder - I use Healthforce’s Vitamineral Greens. It’s full of 25 of the most nutrient-dense superfoods which help support thryoid function, digestive health, & detoxification! I add it to my smoothies or green juices.

Organic sesame oil - Sprout’s has the best prices for organic sesame oil.

Tapioca starch / arrowroot powder (organic) - I keep in the pantry for my baked goods + it’s great gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free way to use to thicken soups or sauces.

REFRIGERATED PACKAGED GOODS

Kombucha - Brew Dr is my favorite!

Miyoko's vegan cream cheese - This stuff is a splurge but SO good!

Miyoko’s vegan butter - Most vegan butters on the market are full of junk, but not this stuff!

Miyoko’s vegan cheese wheels - Not something we buy all the time, but great to snag for a vegan charcuterie board! Tastes amazing & junk-free.

Suja plant-protein milk (unsweetened) - I love snagging this milk when I want a break from nut or seed milk. It adds a great boost of protein to your drinks or baked goods.

Ripple pea milk (unsweetened) - Also a great nut/seedless dairy-free milk option! Full of great plant-based protein as well.

Whole Food’s Grocery Guide

Oh, Whole Foods… often referred to as “whole paycheck.” Whole Foods can be extremely expensive which is why I only shop there on occasion. The main reason I go to WF is for organic meat that isn’t available elsewhere, like bacon, pork, or lamb. Also, for not-so-nessesary specialty items like vegan cauliflower pizza crusts, coconut yogurt, & my favorite sprouted hummus.

Purple sweet potatoes - Purple veggies are great for heart health + look extra pretty! The only place I can find organic purple sweet potatoes in WF.

Delicata squash - My favorite squash! I buy fresh organic here.

Sprouts - I love the variety of organic sprouts WF has.

MEAT / POULTRY / FISH

Organic pork - Chops, ground, bacon. I choose to eat only organic pork if I have it & I found WF is the best to find it at.

Organic lamb - Not often that I’d make a dish with lamb, but if needed I get at WF for the sourcing.

Organic breakfast sausage - We don’t eat it a lot, but I found WF is the only store in our area that carries organic breakfast sausage.

Organic free-range eggs - Matt goes through eggs like it’s going out of style. We buy organic, pasture-raised local eggs.

Wild-caught shrimp, tuna, halibut & cod - I find WF has the freshest & best quality for a grocery store.

FROZEN ITEMS

Grain-free tortilla - I love Siete or The Real Coconut tortillas.

Cauliflower pizza crusts - These are a splurge, but a great low-carb, gluten-free option that won’t spike your blood sugar. I buy the plant-based Cali’flour Foods brand (most others have dairy so make sure you read the label if avoiding dairy.)

GF vegan rolls

PANTRY ITEMS

Seaweed - I’m a big advocate of getting seaweed into your belly as much as possible! It’s packed full of so many minerals & vitamins we need.

Kombu - Kombu is a powerhouse of a seaweed! It also packed full of vitamins/minerals, helps with digestions & improve thyroid function! I’ll add a some to soup when it’s simmering to soak up all the benefits & remove it before serving. Great add if you’re making ramen!

BAKING ESSENTIALS

Cassava flour - Cassava flour is a great gluten-free, grain-free flour. Out of all the gluten-free flours, I think the texture is most similar to wheat flour.

Parmela's vegan cheeses - These are a splurge! But I love them for their cultured cashew cheese slices & shreds.

OTHER

Ciders / wines - When I’m buying wine I buy organic with no added sulfites because that’s what feels the best to my system. I also love 101 Cider House ciders. They’re alcoholic fermented ciders that naturally have 0 sugar, are gluten-free & vegan!

I hope you all enjoyed my guides! If you have any questions, please let me know! Have fun shopping!